Collecting Toby Jugs 1780-1900

Running Glaze, Prattware, Under Glaze, Enamel, Victorian & 20th Century

From the Antique Collector. December 1978-The Popular Toby Jug by Oliver Mathews-This old magazine article is a great find telling the much copied idea that tobies starting from about 1760, this date is incorrect. Our version below is about up to date findings that tobies were produced from the 1780's and we wrote this article a few years back as a help for new collectors, it's well worth reading but we still source old articles however incorrect their writings are as their photo content value makes them irresistible.

 

Asection of the mezzotint that accompanied the song "The Brown Jug"

Many thoughts and thanks to the jolly gentleman that claimed to have inspired the Staffordshire potters to produce these wonderful characters that have been so popular since the 1780's. Still made today these jugs of yesteryear were characters of their day with the inspiration for the first toby jug still remaining a mystery? There have been many suggestions to solve the issue; some say it was a notorious topper Paul Parnell. It is reported in 1810 that in his lifetime he drank upwards of £9000 worth of Yorkshire Stingo which taken at 2p per glass would mean he would have consumed 500 pints every day for 60 years. However, although these figures don't add up and the article of 1810 to late for the first tobies, the word Stingo did start appearing on some enamel jugs around this time. One in particular is a Walton Lord Howe, which would concur with this date.

Two late 18th century enamel plaques showing Deightons print.

Another character is Harry Elwes, who allegedly drank 2000 gallons of strong ale from a brown jug and was known as Toby Fillpott. The name Toby Fillpott was used in the verse of a song called the Brown Jug that was accompanied with a mezzotint produced by Robert Deighton. The print shows a jolly gentleman seated with a foaming jug of ale in one hand and a pipe in the other. The character of the print started appearing on several wares towards the end of the 18th century and is likely that the toby was made as a representation of this, inspired by a topical event and the appeal of the song.

The jug on the left represents Bacchus the god of wine. The handle in the form of a monkey, the spout a dolphin. A very underrated piece in running glaze by Ralph Wood.c1785 The right hand toby jug is known as Prince Hal. He represents Sir Toby Belch from Twelfth Night or George IV masquerading as Henry VIII at a Brighton ball. Running glaze by Ralph Wood.c1785

The two toby jugs above and one other of a parson are unusual as they are figures more than traditional toby jugs,the arms ect. forming the handle which does not always appeal to collectors.

A traditional toby jug seated holding a jug of ale, wearing tri-corn hat and in coloured running glaze is a glorious sight, often compared to the beauty of a church stained glass window. The early jugs were produced using metallic oxides fired at very high temperatures and allowed to run, creating a glaze that highlighted the impurities that are in and out of focus and are a trade mark of the Wood family of Burslem. The metal oxides were limited in colour which gave rise to the under glaze and enamelware's. Enamels were decorated on top of the glaze and fired for a second time at a lower temperature producing a wider range of natural colours